Chapter 3: A Fight To Finish
"Knock! Knock!"
Squall didn't hear the knocking at the entrance of his room 'cause he was deeply focusing on the fight to come.
"Do you mind if I come in?" a girl's voice asked.
He didn't hear.
"I guess it's ok, then…"
A kiss on Squall's cheek brought him back to the real world.
"Huh? What?"
He sat up and looked by his side. Rinoa was kneeled there.
"Rinoa? What time is it?"
Rinoa looked deceived.
"Almost 5 o'clock." she answered getting up.
Squall regretted the stupid question and got up of his bed. Rinoa was at the window, her arms one on the other. Squall approached her from behind. He put his hands around her waist and his face in her hair. She let her head go back on his shoulder as he leant his aside hers.
"I'm sorry," he said, "I didn't want to hurt you. It was stupid."
"It's okay."
She looked up at him and smiled. He looked at her too then they kissed. Rinoa turned herself to face Squall and threw her arms around his neck and kissed him again.
Squall was feeling well in Rinoa's arms. Having her against him was the best thing in the world...until the image of Rinoa falling from Garden appeared in Squall's mind. It was there only for half a second but it was long enough to make Squall hesitate, long enough to permit Rinoa noticing his hesitation.
"What's wrong?" she asked with concern looking at him.
"It's nothing…"
He tried not to look worried.
"So what brings you here?" he asked changing subject.
"You. I wanted to have supper with you."
"I wanted the same thing…"
They just stared at each other for a while.
"Selphie told me you were here."
"Has she told you something else?"
"No…was she supposed to?"
Squall shook his head.
"I guess I'll just have to tell you myself."
"What? Tell me!"
Squall smiled, mysterious.
"Let's go eat…"
"I hate when you do that!"
"Really?"
He got closer to her, causing her to giggle, not used for those kind of action coming from Squall.
"But that's why I love you…"
They kissed again then headed for the cafeteria, hand in hand.
Face to face, they talked while eating.
"And so Seifer is back," Squall finished.
"Really? He is here!?"
Squall nodded.
"How is he?"
"He looks well. He's back in the disciplinary committee with Raijin and Fuujin."
"Oh, yeah? What about he becomes a SeeD?"
Squall tried to find if there was something in her tone that could tell how she felt for Seifer. Squall knew she once had a crush on Seifer before she fell in love with him.
Unable to tell and not really caring about it, he answered.
"Forget it. He doesn't want to."
They didn't know what else to say. They just continued eating, holding each other's hand in the middle of the table. Just being with the other was enough to make them happy.
"Yo! I hope you left some hotdogs!"
Squall turned his head to see Zell approaching.
"How do you feel?" Squall asked.
"Give me the time to eat three or four hotdogs and I'll be my old self again!"
"You already look great to me, Zell," Rinoa said smiling.
"Hi, Rinoa! Are you expecting tonight's fight as impatiently as I am?"
"Wha…"
"Um… Zell," Squall started.
"You didn't tell her?!"
Rinoa looked at Squall.
"What didn't you tell me?"
"Darn you, Zell…" Squall said under his breath.
"Ah… excuse me but I got some hotdogs to catch!"
Zell went to take a place in the waiting line.
"What on earth was he talking about? Which fight…?"
She understood in a flash.
"You have a fight with Seifer…" she said in a neutral tone.
"Rinoa…"
"You have a fight with Seifer," she repeated louder.
She started to worry, granting Squall of a concerned face.
"He asked me! Don't worry, it's just a friendly fight."
"You sure?"
"Of course!"
"I want you to promise me you'll never do anything to scare me."
"What's that all of a sudden?"
"Promise me!"
"If it can make you feel better: I promise."
She sighed from relief, all happy again.
"Thanks. So when is the fight?"
"You wanna see it?"
"Of course I do! I would never miss it!"
Squall wasn't sure if it was a good idea to let Rinoa come.
"You know… We are long time fighters… when we are fighting, we enter a trance-like state. We fight with all our might and will. When I'm fighting, there's nothing else around me except the opponent. Some times, the fight is so intense that I forget whom I'm fighting. I know Seifer is like that too so we might hurt each other. That's what makes a fighter: he doesn't care who he's fighting, he just does it."
"It's…incredible…"
"Now I want you to promise me something too: whatever happens, don't ever interfere with my fights… This one and the others to come."
"But Squall…"
"We both need this fight, Rinoa. It started before the Sorceress story and was never finished. We had little fights during this time but Seifer was brainwashed so it's not fair. Today is the day the fight will be finished. It's important for both of us. I think I deserve it. Please, Rinoa… if you can't promise, then don't come…"
"I wanna go! If it's important to you…okay…I promise I won't interfere…"
"Thank you."
"Hey! Did I miss something?"
Zell turned his chair to have the back on his chest and still face his friends.
"Sorry I was so long! There was no more baked hotdogs so I had to wait!"
Zell ate his hotdogs quite fast.
"Zell!" Squall exclaimed.
Zell looked at his friend between two munches, his mouth already full.
"What?"
"You wanna choke again?!"
Zell gave a sorry look and swallowed the content of his mouth.
"But it's so good!" he complained.
"You'll think it tastes strange once you die from choking!"
"Sorry…"
Zell ate slower with the face of a kid who was just scolded by his mother. He was trying so great that Squall burst out laughing before roaring with laughter, soon followed by Rinoa. Zell was feeling stupid.
"What now?"
"Sorry, Zell. It's just that it doesn't fit you to eat slowly."
"See? And it doesn't taste the same thing either!"
He ate faster again. Squall got up putting his hands on the table.
"Forgive me, guys. I have to focus on the fight. See ya!"
He left the cafeteria, feeling Rinoa's glance on him until he was out of her sight. When he disappeared, Rinoa turned to Zell.
"Do you think it's a good idea?" Rinoa asked with a worry tone.
Zell just shrugged, still eating.
"What if…it's a plan from Seifer to…kill Squall?"
Zell suddenly stopped eating and looked at Rinoa, thinking about what she said. Then he strongly shook his head.
"Nah…if Squall trust him, then it's okay."
"Still…"
"Since when do you doubt Seifer?"
"Since he threw me to Adel…"
Zell remembered too well that time because he was there. Rinoa held her shoulders with her hands and shivered. Zell put a friendly hand on her arm.
"Don't worry. I trust Squall and I leave everything to him. As his girlfriend, shouldn't you trust him too?"
"It's not him that I don't trust, it's Seifer! You know him and you know what he's capable of!"
Zell knew that she was right and himself couldn't trust Seifer. He just didn't want to make Rinoa worrier than she already was.
"We will be there. If anything happen…"
"He made me promise not to interfere," she interrupted him.
"Hum…that's a problem. Selphie told me the same thing."
"Then there's nothing we can do?!"
"Yes: go to see the fight!"
"But…"
Zell raised his hand, the palm facing Rinoa to stop her.
"If they ever hurt each other, the fight will stop…"
"And if the fight is over," Rinoa continued as she understood, "we can't interfere with it!"
"Exactly!"
Rinoa was reassured. Zell was glad he got Rinoa back in a good mood until he started to worry himself… If one is hurt, he supposed the fight would stop but what if it's Squall who gets hurt and Seifer take advantage of it to finish him?
Back in his room, Squall was standing in front of the window, looking outside, deeply concentrated. He sighed.
"Seifer… face to face at last…this…"
He held his gunblade in front of him, his frowning face reflected by the shining blade.
"This should be the last fight, the end. Just you, I and our gunblades…"
He looked at his weapon like it was alive, passing his gloved hand on the blade.
"You saw so much violence and blood and you'll probably see more in the future. You already tasted Seifer's blood and I hope you won't have to taste it once again…but now we're gonna finish what we started so long ago…"
He put his gunblade on his shoulder and got out of his room. He headed for the very same place he fought Seifer that day. The sun was setting, far away at the horizon.
Outside the Garden, on the opened rocked field surrounded by rocks, Squall and Seifer were standing, facing each other. Ten meters were separating them. Each had his gunblade standing in front of him. The others were on the rocks far enough from the fighters not to disturb them or be in their way.
Squall and Seifer were staring at each other, frowning, trying to pierce the other to the bottom of his soul.
Seifer took his gunblade out of the ground and pointed it at Squall with a mad smile.
"Squall! My gunblade never forgot the taste of your blood! This fight will close the one we started long ago!"
Squall got his gunblade out of the ground too and took it with two hands, holding it horizontally in front of his face. Only his eyes were to see.
"Hopefully," he answered.
He took off his jacket and threw it by his side. Then he dashed to Seifer, swinging is gunblade towards him. Seifer dashed too and stopped the swing with his weapon. He put his weight on it to push Squall away and swung back. Squall avoided it by jumping backward. When Seifer repeated the swinging, Squall blocked it. They were face to face, their gunblades crossed between them. Seifer smiled.
"What's wrong, Squall? I was expecting more from you!"
Squall smiled back.
"Maybe you're not as rusted as you said! Besides I'm just getting warmed up!"
They pushed back each other and waited, staring at each other. They started walking in circle, never leaving the other out of their sight.
Seifer faked a step to Squall, but the SeeD didn't react. He wasn't that stupid.
Seifer suddenly dashed to Squall. Surprised by the speed of his opponent, Squall blocked the shot very closely. Angry, he gave a few shots one after the other so Seifer had to be very careful. He blocked the gunblade with his, then trapped Squall's arm in his fist. Squall tried to move backward to get himself out of this situation, but Seifer was physically very strong.
Seifer granted Squall a mad corner smile. He pushed him roughly, freeing Squall's arm and making him do a half-turn, facing Seifer his back. Seifer didn't miss that chance: he gave a shot. Squall turned around in the same time to face Seifer.
"Well, well! I was sure I gotcha!"
"Well, you didn't!"
He ran to him again.
On the rocks, Zell and Quistis were trying to retain a panicked Rinoa.
"Let me go! He's hurt!"
"Calm down!" Zell said. "He's okay, you see?"
"No! I know the gunblade touched him!"
"It's just your imagination," Quistis said. "Remember your promise, Rinoa."
Rinoa stopped moving, looking at the others, then just sat down with them.
The opponents kept fighting, dashing at the other, and swinging their gunblades for half an hour. Squall was showing some signs of weakness while Seifer was looking pretty tired.
Breathing fast and sweating, Squall dashed to Seifer who was ready to stop him. Squall tripped just in front of Seifer who took the advantage to make him fall. Squall ended up on his back with a painful groan. Before he could get up, Seifer was on him, his blade on Squall's neck who had his on Seifer's. Both were panting and perspiring a lot, their hair sticking on their faces.
"You know? I could kill you right now," Seifer threatened.
"I could do the same thing!"
Rinoa was up, clenching Squall's ring on her necklace. The others were all standing up too. They all stopped breathing and waited, scared.
After a few incredibly long seconds, Seifer gave up his mad face and got off Squall, taking back his gunblade. He held out his hand and Squall took it. Seifer helped him getting up.
"Is it okay with you now?" Squall asked.
"You know just like me that it'll never be over. We could have thousands of fights, it will never be over…until one of us is killed."
Squall was afraid of the answer he could get, but he had to ask.
"You had the opportunity. Why didn't you take it?"
Seifer turned to face Squall his back, keeping his head down.
"Before…maybe I would've done it. I don't think I could anymore."
Squall put a hand on Seifer's shoulder that raised his head to look at him.
"I'm glad to hear it because personally, I know I couldn't do it myself."
They both smiled then shook hands. Seifer swung two fingers from his forehead then headed back to Garden. Squall looked at him until he disappeared. Then he noticed it was night. He went to get his jacket. When he leant forward to take it, his back felt painful. He put it on carefully but it still hurt.
The others were running to him, calling his name as they approached and screaming congratulations. Rinoa was by his side before the others. She almost jumped on him when she stopped running and took his arms, looking at his face with a very concerned face.
"Are you okay? Oh, I was so scared! I was sure he would kill you!"
Squall gently took her arms too and smiled to reassure her.
"It's okay. I knew he wouldn't do that."
"What a fight!" Selphie exclaimed arriving, wearing Irvine's hat.
Irvine came by her side, taking back the hat she stole him during the fight.
"She had a hard time not to jump up and cheer you up with all her lungs!"
"And Quistis and I had a hard time retaining Rinoa not to jump down the rocks and run to you!" Zell added.
Squall looked at Rinoa, a bit deceived.
"You promised…"
"I know! But I was sure Seifer got you! Are you sure you're okay?"
Squall nodded and smiled again.
"Don't worry for me."
"I'm so relieved!"
She gave him a tight hug, making him groaning from the pain and moves a little backward, clenching Rinoa's clothes. She looked up on his face, concern all over hers.
"You ARE wounded!" she exclaimed.
She tried to force him take off his jacket, but he resisted.
"I'm not wounded. It's just my muscles. Every parts of my body hurt."
"You sure?"
"Hey, Rinoa!" Zell interrupted. "Why don't you give him a break? It's perfectly normal if he feels weak, you saw the fight just like us, didn't you?"
'Thanks, Zell,' Squall thought.
"Well…yeah," Rinoa answered. It's true.
Then she totally changed her concerned and scared face for an angry one, frowning at Squall.
"I almost couldn't keep my promise, but you didn't keep yours at all! You made me scared!"
"I told you, you shouldn't have come!" he exclaimed a bit rudely, turning his back to her.
The rest of the gang noticed it was time for them to leave.
"See ya tomorrow, guys!" Zell said waving at them and leaving.
"Hey, Rinoa!" Selphie called. "If you want to stay here tonight, you can sleep in my room!"
"Great fight, Squall," Irvine said.
"You need a good night sleep after that, Squall!" Quistis ordered.
They all left, leaving the couple in the middle of a quarrel.
Squall was facing Rinoa his back, his arms crossed on his chest, keeping is head down, angry. Rinoa clenched her necklace, keeping her head down too, sad.
As he heard her softly starting to cry behind him, Squall gave up his angry face and uncrossed his arms, letting them go down. He turned around, looking sorry now. He put his hands on her shoulders.
"I'm sorry, Rinoa. I didn't mean to be mad. I know you're worried about me, but you don't have to, you have to trust me."
"I know, but I can't help it…"
She looked at him with shining eyes from the tears.
"I wouldn't survive if something should happen to you," she said softly.
"Oh, Rinoa…"
He gave her a hug and both closed their eyes.
"Rinoa I…" he started softy.
His dream came back for a second.
"I wouldn't survive without you either," he muttered.
She held him tightly. He just ignored the pain. Being in her arms and smelling her perfume was enough to make him forget anything else.
"I…"
Rinoa looked at him with shining eyes, but not from the tears anymore.
"Say it. I want to hear it."
"I love you…"
She granted him her most beautiful smile ever. Squall leant over her to reach her lips, both closing their eyes. They kissed under the starry sky.
"Maybe I should go home, now," Rinoa said after the kiss.
"It's too late, it's dangerous outside at night. Selphie offered you to stay in her room, remember?"
"I don't want to disturb…"
"She offered it. It would be rude to refuse!"
"Well, okay then…but I'll leave tomorrow morning."
"As you wish."
They headed for the Garden, Squall having his arm around Rinoa's shoulders. She was leaning her head on his shoulder.
Squall left Rinoa at the entrance of Selphie's room, just aside his. As he entered his room and closed the door, he heard the girls talking and giggling on the other side of the wall. He smiled for himself.
He slowly and carefully took off his jacket but it was still painful. He let it fall on the floor then put his necklace on his desk. After that, he took off his shirt. He had to grit his teeth not to scream. Once he had it off, he felt his back was all soaked, he just wondered from what. He got his answer when he looked at his shirt: the back was cut and it was red from blood each side of the cut.
"God…"
He threw the shirt away. He had plenty so it wasn't a real problem. He took a peek inside his jacket. It was pretty bloody too. He didn't even want to start thinking about what his back looked like. He put on an old shirt before leaving his room to go have his jacket washed. Then he went to the infirmary.
Doctor Kadowaki was primarily surprised to see him so late; then angry and worry when she looked at the wound.
"Gh…" Squall groan when she got the shirt up.
"My God!" she exclaimed. "Glad you can't see that!"
She asked him to totally take off the shirt while she went to get something in her office. Squall was sitting on a bed. He saw his shirt was bloody again. Kadowaki came back and cleaned the wound, almost making Squall scream from pain.
"Where does this come from?"
"A gunblade."
She stopped cleaning, looking at Squall who couldn't see her face because he was facing her his back.
"I know only two persons who got gunblades: you and Seifer. Since I heard about the fight, I don't think you did that by yourself."
"Well…"
"You don't have to explain. My job is to heal, not judge."
She finished cleaning then started bandaging the cut.
"Can you tell me how I'm still bleeding even if the wound was made almost an hour ago?"
"It's not bleeding anymore. It was before because you were still moving, not giving your wound a chance to rest so it was keeping bleeding."
She finished with the bandage. It was all over his chest and back.
"It's not a very deep wound, it's just a long one. It was well done!"
"Thanks, anyway. Can I ask you a favour?" he said turning his head to her. "Don't tell anybody about this."
"I thought your friends were at the fight… They didn't see it?"
"They were pretty far and it was getting dark. At first I wasn't sure how bad I was wounded. I knew Seifer's blade touched me, I just didn't know how. When I putted back my jacket after the fight, the others didn't see the blood. Please don't tell them, it will just make them worry!"
"What's in the infirmary, stays in the infirmary. But you have to rest and don't make useless moves if you can avoid it. No fight for a couple of days either. It' a fast healing wound, but you better take care of it."
"Thanks, doctor…"
"You're welcome, it's my job," she said shrugging.
Squall went to get his jacket back. It was all soaked, but at least, it was clean. He put it on the back of his chair, back in his room. He took off his shirt and let it fall on the floor. He took off his leather pants and went to bed, only wearing underwear.
He dreamt about Rinoa: with her white dress at the graduation party, with her blue clothing at many other places… He saw her face, smiling at him; horrified when he was pierced by the Sorceress's attack… it was a pretty good dream… until he saw Rinoa falling from Garden once again…
"Knock! Knock!"
Squall didn't hear the knocking at the entrance of his room 'cause he was deeply focusing on the fight to come.
"Do you mind if I come in?" a girl's voice asked.
He didn't hear.
"I guess it's ok, then…"
A kiss on Squall's cheek brought him back to the real world.
"Huh? What?"
He sat up and looked by his side. Rinoa was kneeled there.
"Rinoa? What time is it?"
Rinoa looked deceived.
"Almost 5 o'clock." she answered getting up.
Squall regretted the stupid question and got up of his bed. Rinoa was at the window, her arms one on the other. Squall approached her from behind. He put his hands around her waist and his face in her hair. She let her head go back on his shoulder as he leant his aside hers.
"I'm sorry," he said, "I didn't want to hurt you. It was stupid."
"It's okay."
She looked up at him and smiled. He looked at her too then they kissed. Rinoa turned herself to face Squall and threw her arms around his neck and kissed him again.
Squall was feeling well in Rinoa's arms. Having her against him was the best thing in the world...until the image of Rinoa falling from Garden appeared in Squall's mind. It was there only for half a second but it was long enough to make Squall hesitate, long enough to permit Rinoa noticing his hesitation.
"What's wrong?" she asked with concern looking at him.
"It's nothing…"
He tried not to look worried.
"So what brings you here?" he asked changing subject.
"You. I wanted to have supper with you."
"I wanted the same thing…"
They just stared at each other for a while.
"Selphie told me you were here."
"Has she told you something else?"
"No…was she supposed to?"
Squall shook his head.
"I guess I'll just have to tell you myself."
"What? Tell me!"
Squall smiled, mysterious.
"Let's go eat…"
"I hate when you do that!"
"Really?"
He got closer to her, causing her to giggle, not used for those kind of action coming from Squall.
"But that's why I love you…"
They kissed again then headed for the cafeteria, hand in hand.
Face to face, they talked while eating.
"And so Seifer is back," Squall finished.
"Really? He is here!?"
Squall nodded.
"How is he?"
"He looks well. He's back in the disciplinary committee with Raijin and Fuujin."
"Oh, yeah? What about he becomes a SeeD?"
Squall tried to find if there was something in her tone that could tell how she felt for Seifer. Squall knew she once had a crush on Seifer before she fell in love with him.
Unable to tell and not really caring about it, he answered.
"Forget it. He doesn't want to."
They didn't know what else to say. They just continued eating, holding each other's hand in the middle of the table. Just being with the other was enough to make them happy.
"Yo! I hope you left some hotdogs!"
Squall turned his head to see Zell approaching.
"How do you feel?" Squall asked.
"Give me the time to eat three or four hotdogs and I'll be my old self again!"
"You already look great to me, Zell," Rinoa said smiling.
"Hi, Rinoa! Are you expecting tonight's fight as impatiently as I am?"
"Wha…"
"Um… Zell," Squall started.
"You didn't tell her?!"
Rinoa looked at Squall.
"What didn't you tell me?"
"Darn you, Zell…" Squall said under his breath.
"Ah… excuse me but I got some hotdogs to catch!"
Zell went to take a place in the waiting line.
"What on earth was he talking about? Which fight…?"
She understood in a flash.
"You have a fight with Seifer…" she said in a neutral tone.
"Rinoa…"
"You have a fight with Seifer," she repeated louder.
She started to worry, granting Squall of a concerned face.
"He asked me! Don't worry, it's just a friendly fight."
"You sure?"
"Of course!"
"I want you to promise me you'll never do anything to scare me."
"What's that all of a sudden?"
"Promise me!"
"If it can make you feel better: I promise."
She sighed from relief, all happy again.
"Thanks. So when is the fight?"
"You wanna see it?"
"Of course I do! I would never miss it!"
Squall wasn't sure if it was a good idea to let Rinoa come.
"You know… We are long time fighters… when we are fighting, we enter a trance-like state. We fight with all our might and will. When I'm fighting, there's nothing else around me except the opponent. Some times, the fight is so intense that I forget whom I'm fighting. I know Seifer is like that too so we might hurt each other. That's what makes a fighter: he doesn't care who he's fighting, he just does it."
"It's…incredible…"
"Now I want you to promise me something too: whatever happens, don't ever interfere with my fights… This one and the others to come."
"But Squall…"
"We both need this fight, Rinoa. It started before the Sorceress story and was never finished. We had little fights during this time but Seifer was brainwashed so it's not fair. Today is the day the fight will be finished. It's important for both of us. I think I deserve it. Please, Rinoa… if you can't promise, then don't come…"
"I wanna go! If it's important to you…okay…I promise I won't interfere…"
"Thank you."
"Hey! Did I miss something?"
Zell turned his chair to have the back on his chest and still face his friends.
"Sorry I was so long! There was no more baked hotdogs so I had to wait!"
Zell ate his hotdogs quite fast.
"Zell!" Squall exclaimed.
Zell looked at his friend between two munches, his mouth already full.
"What?"
"You wanna choke again?!"
Zell gave a sorry look and swallowed the content of his mouth.
"But it's so good!" he complained.
"You'll think it tastes strange once you die from choking!"
"Sorry…"
Zell ate slower with the face of a kid who was just scolded by his mother. He was trying so great that Squall burst out laughing before roaring with laughter, soon followed by Rinoa. Zell was feeling stupid.
"What now?"
"Sorry, Zell. It's just that it doesn't fit you to eat slowly."
"See? And it doesn't taste the same thing either!"
He ate faster again. Squall got up putting his hands on the table.
"Forgive me, guys. I have to focus on the fight. See ya!"
He left the cafeteria, feeling Rinoa's glance on him until he was out of her sight. When he disappeared, Rinoa turned to Zell.
"Do you think it's a good idea?" Rinoa asked with a worry tone.
Zell just shrugged, still eating.
"What if…it's a plan from Seifer to…kill Squall?"
Zell suddenly stopped eating and looked at Rinoa, thinking about what she said. Then he strongly shook his head.
"Nah…if Squall trust him, then it's okay."
"Still…"
"Since when do you doubt Seifer?"
"Since he threw me to Adel…"
Zell remembered too well that time because he was there. Rinoa held her shoulders with her hands and shivered. Zell put a friendly hand on her arm.
"Don't worry. I trust Squall and I leave everything to him. As his girlfriend, shouldn't you trust him too?"
"It's not him that I don't trust, it's Seifer! You know him and you know what he's capable of!"
Zell knew that she was right and himself couldn't trust Seifer. He just didn't want to make Rinoa worrier than she already was.
"We will be there. If anything happen…"
"He made me promise not to interfere," she interrupted him.
"Hum…that's a problem. Selphie told me the same thing."
"Then there's nothing we can do?!"
"Yes: go to see the fight!"
"But…"
Zell raised his hand, the palm facing Rinoa to stop her.
"If they ever hurt each other, the fight will stop…"
"And if the fight is over," Rinoa continued as she understood, "we can't interfere with it!"
"Exactly!"
Rinoa was reassured. Zell was glad he got Rinoa back in a good mood until he started to worry himself… If one is hurt, he supposed the fight would stop but what if it's Squall who gets hurt and Seifer take advantage of it to finish him?
Back in his room, Squall was standing in front of the window, looking outside, deeply concentrated. He sighed.
"Seifer… face to face at last…this…"
He held his gunblade in front of him, his frowning face reflected by the shining blade.
"This should be the last fight, the end. Just you, I and our gunblades…"
He looked at his weapon like it was alive, passing his gloved hand on the blade.
"You saw so much violence and blood and you'll probably see more in the future. You already tasted Seifer's blood and I hope you won't have to taste it once again…but now we're gonna finish what we started so long ago…"
He put his gunblade on his shoulder and got out of his room. He headed for the very same place he fought Seifer that day. The sun was setting, far away at the horizon.
Outside the Garden, on the opened rocked field surrounded by rocks, Squall and Seifer were standing, facing each other. Ten meters were separating them. Each had his gunblade standing in front of him. The others were on the rocks far enough from the fighters not to disturb them or be in their way.
Squall and Seifer were staring at each other, frowning, trying to pierce the other to the bottom of his soul.
Seifer took his gunblade out of the ground and pointed it at Squall with a mad smile.
"Squall! My gunblade never forgot the taste of your blood! This fight will close the one we started long ago!"
Squall got his gunblade out of the ground too and took it with two hands, holding it horizontally in front of his face. Only his eyes were to see.
"Hopefully," he answered.
He took off his jacket and threw it by his side. Then he dashed to Seifer, swinging is gunblade towards him. Seifer dashed too and stopped the swing with his weapon. He put his weight on it to push Squall away and swung back. Squall avoided it by jumping backward. When Seifer repeated the swinging, Squall blocked it. They were face to face, their gunblades crossed between them. Seifer smiled.
"What's wrong, Squall? I was expecting more from you!"
Squall smiled back.
"Maybe you're not as rusted as you said! Besides I'm just getting warmed up!"
They pushed back each other and waited, staring at each other. They started walking in circle, never leaving the other out of their sight.
Seifer faked a step to Squall, but the SeeD didn't react. He wasn't that stupid.
Seifer suddenly dashed to Squall. Surprised by the speed of his opponent, Squall blocked the shot very closely. Angry, he gave a few shots one after the other so Seifer had to be very careful. He blocked the gunblade with his, then trapped Squall's arm in his fist. Squall tried to move backward to get himself out of this situation, but Seifer was physically very strong.
Seifer granted Squall a mad corner smile. He pushed him roughly, freeing Squall's arm and making him do a half-turn, facing Seifer his back. Seifer didn't miss that chance: he gave a shot. Squall turned around in the same time to face Seifer.
"Well, well! I was sure I gotcha!"
"Well, you didn't!"
He ran to him again.
On the rocks, Zell and Quistis were trying to retain a panicked Rinoa.
"Let me go! He's hurt!"
"Calm down!" Zell said. "He's okay, you see?"
"No! I know the gunblade touched him!"
"It's just your imagination," Quistis said. "Remember your promise, Rinoa."
Rinoa stopped moving, looking at the others, then just sat down with them.
The opponents kept fighting, dashing at the other, and swinging their gunblades for half an hour. Squall was showing some signs of weakness while Seifer was looking pretty tired.
Breathing fast and sweating, Squall dashed to Seifer who was ready to stop him. Squall tripped just in front of Seifer who took the advantage to make him fall. Squall ended up on his back with a painful groan. Before he could get up, Seifer was on him, his blade on Squall's neck who had his on Seifer's. Both were panting and perspiring a lot, their hair sticking on their faces.
"You know? I could kill you right now," Seifer threatened.
"I could do the same thing!"
Rinoa was up, clenching Squall's ring on her necklace. The others were all standing up too. They all stopped breathing and waited, scared.
After a few incredibly long seconds, Seifer gave up his mad face and got off Squall, taking back his gunblade. He held out his hand and Squall took it. Seifer helped him getting up.
"Is it okay with you now?" Squall asked.
"You know just like me that it'll never be over. We could have thousands of fights, it will never be over…until one of us is killed."
Squall was afraid of the answer he could get, but he had to ask.
"You had the opportunity. Why didn't you take it?"
Seifer turned to face Squall his back, keeping his head down.
"Before…maybe I would've done it. I don't think I could anymore."
Squall put a hand on Seifer's shoulder that raised his head to look at him.
"I'm glad to hear it because personally, I know I couldn't do it myself."
They both smiled then shook hands. Seifer swung two fingers from his forehead then headed back to Garden. Squall looked at him until he disappeared. Then he noticed it was night. He went to get his jacket. When he leant forward to take it, his back felt painful. He put it on carefully but it still hurt.
The others were running to him, calling his name as they approached and screaming congratulations. Rinoa was by his side before the others. She almost jumped on him when she stopped running and took his arms, looking at his face with a very concerned face.
"Are you okay? Oh, I was so scared! I was sure he would kill you!"
Squall gently took her arms too and smiled to reassure her.
"It's okay. I knew he wouldn't do that."
"What a fight!" Selphie exclaimed arriving, wearing Irvine's hat.
Irvine came by her side, taking back the hat she stole him during the fight.
"She had a hard time not to jump up and cheer you up with all her lungs!"
"And Quistis and I had a hard time retaining Rinoa not to jump down the rocks and run to you!" Zell added.
Squall looked at Rinoa, a bit deceived.
"You promised…"
"I know! But I was sure Seifer got you! Are you sure you're okay?"
Squall nodded and smiled again.
"Don't worry for me."
"I'm so relieved!"
She gave him a tight hug, making him groaning from the pain and moves a little backward, clenching Rinoa's clothes. She looked up on his face, concern all over hers.
"You ARE wounded!" she exclaimed.
She tried to force him take off his jacket, but he resisted.
"I'm not wounded. It's just my muscles. Every parts of my body hurt."
"You sure?"
"Hey, Rinoa!" Zell interrupted. "Why don't you give him a break? It's perfectly normal if he feels weak, you saw the fight just like us, didn't you?"
'Thanks, Zell,' Squall thought.
"Well…yeah," Rinoa answered. It's true.
Then she totally changed her concerned and scared face for an angry one, frowning at Squall.
"I almost couldn't keep my promise, but you didn't keep yours at all! You made me scared!"
"I told you, you shouldn't have come!" he exclaimed a bit rudely, turning his back to her.
The rest of the gang noticed it was time for them to leave.
"See ya tomorrow, guys!" Zell said waving at them and leaving.
"Hey, Rinoa!" Selphie called. "If you want to stay here tonight, you can sleep in my room!"
"Great fight, Squall," Irvine said.
"You need a good night sleep after that, Squall!" Quistis ordered.
They all left, leaving the couple in the middle of a quarrel.
Squall was facing Rinoa his back, his arms crossed on his chest, keeping is head down, angry. Rinoa clenched her necklace, keeping her head down too, sad.
As he heard her softly starting to cry behind him, Squall gave up his angry face and uncrossed his arms, letting them go down. He turned around, looking sorry now. He put his hands on her shoulders.
"I'm sorry, Rinoa. I didn't mean to be mad. I know you're worried about me, but you don't have to, you have to trust me."
"I know, but I can't help it…"
She looked at him with shining eyes from the tears.
"I wouldn't survive if something should happen to you," she said softly.
"Oh, Rinoa…"
He gave her a hug and both closed their eyes.
"Rinoa I…" he started softy.
His dream came back for a second.
"I wouldn't survive without you either," he muttered.
She held him tightly. He just ignored the pain. Being in her arms and smelling her perfume was enough to make him forget anything else.
"I…"
Rinoa looked at him with shining eyes, but not from the tears anymore.
"Say it. I want to hear it."
"I love you…"
She granted him her most beautiful smile ever. Squall leant over her to reach her lips, both closing their eyes. They kissed under the starry sky.
"Maybe I should go home, now," Rinoa said after the kiss.
"It's too late, it's dangerous outside at night. Selphie offered you to stay in her room, remember?"
"I don't want to disturb…"
"She offered it. It would be rude to refuse!"
"Well, okay then…but I'll leave tomorrow morning."
"As you wish."
They headed for the Garden, Squall having his arm around Rinoa's shoulders. She was leaning her head on his shoulder.
Squall left Rinoa at the entrance of Selphie's room, just aside his. As he entered his room and closed the door, he heard the girls talking and giggling on the other side of the wall. He smiled for himself.
He slowly and carefully took off his jacket but it was still painful. He let it fall on the floor then put his necklace on his desk. After that, he took off his shirt. He had to grit his teeth not to scream. Once he had it off, he felt his back was all soaked, he just wondered from what. He got his answer when he looked at his shirt: the back was cut and it was red from blood each side of the cut.
"God…"
He threw the shirt away. He had plenty so it wasn't a real problem. He took a peek inside his jacket. It was pretty bloody too. He didn't even want to start thinking about what his back looked like. He put on an old shirt before leaving his room to go have his jacket washed. Then he went to the infirmary.
Doctor Kadowaki was primarily surprised to see him so late; then angry and worry when she looked at the wound.
"Gh…" Squall groan when she got the shirt up.
"My God!" she exclaimed. "Glad you can't see that!"
She asked him to totally take off the shirt while she went to get something in her office. Squall was sitting on a bed. He saw his shirt was bloody again. Kadowaki came back and cleaned the wound, almost making Squall scream from pain.
"Where does this come from?"
"A gunblade."
She stopped cleaning, looking at Squall who couldn't see her face because he was facing her his back.
"I know only two persons who got gunblades: you and Seifer. Since I heard about the fight, I don't think you did that by yourself."
"Well…"
"You don't have to explain. My job is to heal, not judge."
She finished cleaning then started bandaging the cut.
"Can you tell me how I'm still bleeding even if the wound was made almost an hour ago?"
"It's not bleeding anymore. It was before because you were still moving, not giving your wound a chance to rest so it was keeping bleeding."
She finished with the bandage. It was all over his chest and back.
"It's not a very deep wound, it's just a long one. It was well done!"
"Thanks, anyway. Can I ask you a favour?" he said turning his head to her. "Don't tell anybody about this."
"I thought your friends were at the fight… They didn't see it?"
"They were pretty far and it was getting dark. At first I wasn't sure how bad I was wounded. I knew Seifer's blade touched me, I just didn't know how. When I putted back my jacket after the fight, the others didn't see the blood. Please don't tell them, it will just make them worry!"
"What's in the infirmary, stays in the infirmary. But you have to rest and don't make useless moves if you can avoid it. No fight for a couple of days either. It' a fast healing wound, but you better take care of it."
"Thanks, doctor…"
"You're welcome, it's my job," she said shrugging.
Squall went to get his jacket back. It was all soaked, but at least, it was clean. He put it on the back of his chair, back in his room. He took off his shirt and let it fall on the floor. He took off his leather pants and went to bed, only wearing underwear.
He dreamt about Rinoa: with her white dress at the graduation party, with her blue clothing at many other places… He saw her face, smiling at him; horrified when he was pierced by the Sorceress's attack… it was a pretty good dream… until he saw Rinoa falling from Garden once again…